It didn't really start out like this.

It wasn't supposed to.

The Black Lake was its typical black that day, slightly eerie and the same shade of creepy that it was known for. A figure made its way through the darkness, cutting through the deep fog surrounding the lake.

He leaned against the tree, resting the brunt of his weight on it, slumping his shoulders. Slowly, he nudged his head towards the right, the sound of footfalls against the crunch of the grass might not have been heard by anyone else, but he knew them like the back of his hand.

"Granger?"

She let out a sigh, and made her way towards the tree, resigning herself to the fact that he knew she was there.

"I had a feeling that you'd be here." She looked at him and he looked tired. No tired didn't even cut it close, he looked exasperated. The circles under his eyes darkened his eyes more, his pale face was just slightly gaunt, but it was still so undeniably handsome. The torment in his eyes did nothing to take that away from him.

"10 points for Gryffindor for finding that out, Granger."

"Grow up, would you?"

"No I can't. I've been told that I'm an immature git who can't handle anything that's beyond my 10 years worth of emotional growth." He bit out, a slightly venomous tone lacing its way through his words. She flinched and he therefore got the reaction he's wanted.

"Why him?"

She looked dumbfounded, and she couldn't speak. His eyes were on her, like molten silver, and she couldn't find the words to say. He looked pained. His voice slightly trembled when he said it, his fists clenched at his sides.

"And now you can't say anything, can you?"

She shook her head, acknowledging the fact that whatever she would have said wouldn't really have made a difference.

"I thought so. Well, it was nice chatting with you Granger, but unlike you, I have better things to do than waste my time." He made a motion to start towards the castle but a small hand grabbed his own.

"Draco. Please. Don't." She pleaded, her hand tugging on his, her heart racing a mile a minute.

"It's not enough Hermione. This will never be enough, not for me, not for you, not for anyone else. You've already made your choice, it's time I made mine." He turned the full force of his eyes once more to hers and he could see the slight welling of tears in hers. She tightened her grip on his hand but he felt like breaking inside.

"I will never be good enough for you. I will always be somebody who's tried too hard for someone that was beyond my league. I would never be able to reach your pedestal. I'm sorry that I can't be enough for you." He tugged his hand away from hers and she looked like he shot her, the hurt evident in her eyes.

"The words aren't enough anymore. It's time we faced the facts and said what has been hanging over our heads all this time."

She just shook her head once more and looked at him, pleading with her eyes.

But he didn't want to look anymore, because it wasn't his fault. It wasn't his fault that she made her choice. It wasn't his fault that she was too good for him. But it was his fault that he didn't feel like he had the right to fight for her or for whatever it was they had.

He made his way to the castle and he didn't look back.

He didn't even hear those words that have slowly made their way to her lips, finally finding the courage to break themselves out of her.

"I've always chosen you, Draco."